Zoku Quick Pop Maker: Secrets for Perfect Pops

Yes, we know it's cold outside, but this cool treat is just too fun to put off until summer. The Zoku Quick Pop Maker freezes popsicles in as little as 10 minutes, right on your countertop. In fact, it's so ingenious that here at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, we gave it one of our Very Innovative Product (VIP) awards. Now our prime reason for honoring this nifty gadget is its ability to provide instant gratification to little tykes while allowing moms to provide sweet snacks made from natural ingredients. But we'll let you in on a not-so-little-secret: Adults love pops too! And with the Zoku you can make some very sophisticated looking treats that are suitable for grownup dinner parties. But going the extra mile requires a little more work than making simple single-flavor pops so we thought we'd share some tips with you for making ones with layers, add-ins, and fillings.

Most Popular

Always remember to put the popsicle stick in the mold before the juice.

With the Quick Pop Maker you can get quite creative making horizontal stripes or filled pops but the optional Tool Kit ($19.95) broadens the possibilities, helping you create angled layers and fanciful shapes.

To get bright colors without buying a myriad of ingredients, we used white grape juice, pouring it into several small bowls and adding a few drops of food coloring to each.

If you decide to add fruit to your pops, make sure you cut the slices thin and small. Big pieces can get frozen at odd angles and are difficult to maneuver into place.

Each Zoku machine can be used up to three times per day before the freezing element warms up. With each use, however, the popsicles take longer to freeze.

Be patient. Some of the complicated designs can take a long time to freeze, but if you stick with it, the result will more closely resemble a work of art than a snack food.

The optional Storage Case ($19.95) is convenient for storing 6 pops in the freezer and serving them.

Zoku Quick Pop Makers and Tool Kits are available from Zoku or Williams-Sonoma's stores and website. Both companies' sites also offer recipes, tips, and videos.

Don't have a Zoku Quick Pop Maker? Check out our recipe for Strawberry Peach Pops that can be made without a machine.